Individual trials begin in November for trio accused of killing police informant in Littleton

On the night of May 27, 2016, prosecutors allege that three men came to this West Main Street dwelling in Littleton where they shot and killed Robert Pierog. The men — Damion Yeargle, Quade Kadle and Nicholas Skidmore — go on trial beginning in November. (John Koziol)

HAVERHILL — The three men accused of murdering a police informant last year in Littleton are to be tried individually, beginning on Nov. 13 with the trial of Damion Yeargle, the alleged shooter.

According to documents at Grafton County Superior Court, the state, represented by Assistant Attorney General Geoff Ward, has consulted with attorneys for Yeargle as well as Quade Kadle and Nicholas Skidmore and reached agreement on procedural deadlines, including the trials.

Authorities allege that on the night of May 27, 2016, Kadle, 19, of Jefferson, lured Robert Pierog out of his residence at 124 West Main St. in Littleton so that Yeargle, 22, also of Littleton, could shoot Pierog four times with a .22 caliber rifle.

During previous court hearings, Ward and Det. Sgt. Justin Rowe of the New Hampshire State Police Major Crime Unit have said that Pierog, 22, who was a husband and father, worked as an informant with the Bethlehem Police Department on cases that resulted in arrests for drug offenses.

They said Kadle and Yeargle were driven to and from Pierog’s home by Nicholas Skidmore, 22, who is also from Littleton.

All three are currently being held without bail at the Grafton County jail. They are each charged with one count of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses or informants.

Yeargle also faces one count of first-degree murder, while Kadle faces a charge of being an accomplice to first-degree murder and Skidmore faces a charge of hindering apprehension or prosecution.

Jury selection in the trial of Yeargle is slated for Nov. 6, a week before his trial starts, while Skidmore’s trial is set for Jan. 29, 2018, and Kadle’s for next Feb. 6.

Yeargle, Kadle and Skidmore all gave voluntary statements to Littleton police in which they claimed to have spent the day of the murder working on Kadle’s Buick Park Avenue and drinking beers at a popular swimming hole, after which they returned to Yeargle’s house to sleep.

Skidmore allegedly told investigators in a later interview that on May 27, 2016, he had driven Yeargle and Kadle to Yeargle’s home, where Yeargle retrieved the alleged murder weapon.

Skidmore said he drove Yeargle and Kadle to the Littleton Walmart, where the men were observed purchasing bandanas and latex gloves.

After the shooting, Skidmore said he drove Yeargle and Kadle away from the area, and that they threw the bandanas, the latex gloves, the rifle and magazine out the car window, acording to investigators.